Updated 07/01/06
General Guidelines and Travel Authority for International Trips. See section 6.1 for complete policy regarding export control review and TAR approval for international trips.
Airfare contracts are available for selected foreign cities: Link to city contract listing: http://www.procurement.gatech.edu/AirlineContractsList.cfm
Business class airfare may be reimbursed through GTRC or the GT Foundation if the sponsored contract specifically allows business class travel, otherwise only coach fares will be reimbursed. See section 6.6 Air Transportation for additional information.
The General Services Administration issued an amendment to the Federal Travel Regulations in the November 13, 1998 edition of the Federal Register (Vol. 63, No. 219). The amendment relates to the use of U.S. flag air carriers under the provisions of 49 U.S.C. 40118, which is commonly referred to as the Fly America Act.
Any air transportation to, from, between or within a country other than the U.S. of persons or property, the expense of which will be assisted by NSF funding, must be performed by, or under a code-sharing arrangement with, a U.S.-flag air carrier if service provided by such a carrier is “available” (see Comp. Gen. Decision B-240956, dated September 25, 1991). Tickets must identify the U.S.-flag air carrier's designator code and flight number.
For the purposes of this requirement, U.S.-flag air carrier service is considered “available” even though:
The following rules apply unless their application would result in the first or last leg of travel from or to the U.S. being performed by a foreign-flag air carrier:
Travel To and From the U.S. Use of a foreign-flag air carrier is permissible if the airport abroad is:
Travel Between Points Outside the U.S. Use of a foreign-flag air carrier is permissible if travel by a:
Short Distance Travel. For all short distance travel, regardless of origin and destination, use of a foreign-flag air carrier is permissible if the elapsed travel time on a scheduled flight from origin to destination airport by a foreign-flag air carrier is three hours or less and service by a U.S.-flag air carrier would double the travel time.
Employees should always request all available collision and liability insurance for foreign rentals. Insurance on foreign rentals is fully reimbursable .
Meal expenses will be reimbursed for actual costs not to exceed the federal per diem rate established for the travel destination. Reimbursement for alcoholic beverages is not permitted. Rates effective at the time of travel are to be used, as rates are updated quarterly and include high season rates for some resort locations. It is the responsibility of each traveler and travel approver to ensure that meal expenses that are claimed on the TES do not exceed federal per diem rates for each location visited.
Conversion Rates
When filling out the TES for reimbursement, all amounts claimed should be in U.S. Dollars. Because conversion rates can vary, the rate used should be included with the TES. Travelers may submit documentation for currency exchange centers, web currency conversion rates, or may calculate the conversion used by corporate travel card providers on the traveler's statement.
The account code for foreign travel for employees is 640050.
Information regarding travel warnings, consular information sheets and public announcements can be found at the U.S. State Department web site http://travel.state.gov/ .